Leaving baby alone in another room

[Captaincalamaris]

How long would you hypothetically leave a 4 month old baby on a play mat (not a pen) whilst you were in another room and they were out of sight? Having this argument with DH.

Depends where I am. If going upstairs, maybe 5-10 mins?

Until they cried, indicating they needed something.

Probably about 10 mins at 4 months

Eh?! So potentially an hour?

I never left my babies alone on the floor. I would pop them into their cot or playpen if I needed to be away from them for more than a minute/30 seconds.

We had a play mat but it was quite soft, so I would never have left them unattended on that surface because if they rolled onto their front they could suffocate. We’ve since bought a sponge play mat (firm, smooth surface) that I would be OK to leave them while I nipped to the loo, grab a coffee, took in a delivery etc… If I had pets or toddlers then never.

I wouldn’t make a habit of leaving a child under 6 months alone for any length of time more than necessary as it’s goes against SIDs guidance.

Depends if they are mobile or not (crawl or being able to turn). Probably 5mn if not mobile and everything completely safe around the baby.

I just nip into kitchen maybe to get a coffee but don't leave her for more than 2-3 minutes

Basically I popped upstairs to just grab some washing, was going to run back down by Dh who is wfh asked me to look at something with him on his laptop. I asked if he would bring it downstairs so I could watch baby and he said I was being ridiculous? I hadn’t prepared to leave baby for that long so didn’t want to just stay upstairs for what could have been 20 mins plus?

Baby isn’t mobile yet but can roll and get stuck and has a habit of putting toys over his face!

If I was going up stairs I'd take baby with me. I'd check on baby every couple of minutes if I'm not in same room, I'd always try to be on same floor tho.
I mean, we gotta get things done.

I wouldn't, only to grab something out the kitchen so maybe 10 or 20 seconds? I put baby in a crib downstairs if I needed to do anything longer. I have pets, they can roll unexpectedly, older child is still only 4. Didn't feel safe to leave baby. But I'm very cautious of sids due to having an infant loss previous to my youngest. Still I wouldn't recommend leaving baby alone on playmat. My youngest is 9 months now, crawling everywhere so we've got a playpen, you can get them with a newborn insert too

No longer than a few minutes really, if I had to go upstairs for longer (ie putting a mountain of washing around) I'd just bring the baby with me. My little one used to just come everywhere with me but he did not stop crying so 😅

I already had the washing in a pile at the top of the stairs so just needed to grab it really. I want to know if I WBU to expect DH to come downstairs and talk to me!

Single mum and sometimes had to leave the baby. Floor is the safest place, especially when they are not yet mobile. I wouldn't leave them for more than 1 minute or 2. Now I have a playpen which gives me more peace of mind as she starting to crawl. Will leave her for 10 mins or so, listening like a hawk. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on a conversation as I'd be distracted and wanting to check on the baby

At 4 months I felt like I was watching mine constantly because she was rolling both ways starting to push up etc but not yet strong enough so could easily get stuck in an awkward position.. there was a lot of face planting. Also if not mobile yet there is ALWAYS a first time.

I wouldn't and certainly not at four months where they could suddenly master the art of rolling over and get into difficulty or access something g that they shouldn't.

A mobile baby - as long as it takes to pop to another room to pick something up and back. Anything longer or out of earshot I'd take the baby with me.

So easy for babies to roll off and pull a lamp onto their heads, start eating out of plant pots etc!

Only a moment or two in that scenario.

If baby were safely confined in a bouncy chair, bum seat, car seat, etc - a little longer.

To go to the toilet or make a cup of tea; mine didn’t really like being left alone and my second was very wriggly so could easily get himself in odd positions or get stuck rolling one way

A few mins, enough time to go to the toilet/answer door/pop upstairs. Not for
any length of time, I’d take them with me.

This is a perfect example of the dangers of leaving a baby/small child for "just a second" or "just a minute." You can get distracted and that one minute turns into five.

I am so sorry OP that you feel you have to even ask this question.
What on earth is going on in our society when perfectly intelligent adults have to ask how long they can leave their baby for or go in to a panic because they fed their baby some mash potato ?
This is not a dig at individuals it is a concern at what is happening. Why is common sense lacking, is there too much information shoved at people these days that they can't think for themselves or is it because we live more isolated lives and don't have family contact like we used too. It really is worrying.

I never left my baby at that age on their own, but we had a small open plan flat so no stairs, we spent most of the time in the kitchen/living area and it was easy to bring them with me.

I wouldn’t leave a four month old alone in a room on the floor for any time. I would bring with me.

So then she's coming downstairs with a four month old baby and an armfull of washing. Not sure that's safer.

Op od have done what you did, the twenty seconds to grab something. If DH had called me to speak to me, I'd have walked off and told him to come down to us. You did nothing wrong